Gas prices climbing earlier than usual

AAA: 32 consecutive days of rising prices

While higher gas prices are expected during the summer, motorists have found historically high prices this winter at the pump.

Officials with AAA said gas prices were going up earlier than usual in 2013. They said there have been 32 consecutive days of rising prices.

The cost is draining household budgets with every fill-up. Experts said 4 percent of motorists' gross income is spent on filling the gas tank.

In New Orleans, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is $3.56, which is up from $3.21 a month ago.

"I find it kind of odd because generally prices start to go up in the spring as it gets toward vacation time," said Ashley Bateman, who owns a flower shop on Magazine Street but lives in Belle Chasse.

Traditionally, gas prices go up anywhere from 40 to 60 cents a gallon beginning in late March through early May.

Bateman said she's already seeing a rise in the gas bills.

"I go through a tank and a half a week just with the commute on the delivery van," She said. "It does make a difference, because I'm sending my guys to gas the vans more often."

Bateman's store, Nola Flora, recently added delivery fees and went up on some existing fees.

"A lot of the times when we did neighborhood deliveries, there was no delivery charge at all. Now, the minimum we can deliver for is $6, which is still really low in comparison, but when we deliver downtown or out to the east, it can be as much as $15 to $20 for delivery," she added.

Tulane Energy Institute Associate Director Eric Smith has also been surprised to see prices jump this early in the year.

"In the spring, we have to go off the winter blend and go back to the summer blend, so every time we do that, there's this unsettling in the refineries. It's a little too early for that to be going on right now," said Smith.

Smith said the reason behind the rise at the pump is the rising price of crude oil, which has been going up since December. Refinery shutdowns are also driving up the cost.

"I think that they'll continue to climb a little bit, but I think that by the time we get over that next change-out at the end of the winter, we'll probably see the prices stabilize and probably come down a little bit," Smith said.

Smith said another factor causing the rising gas prices is problems with the pipelines and transportation costs throughout the country. He added that even with the increase in prices, the prices in this region are some of the lowest prices in the country.

Currently, Louisiana is averaging $3.56 a gallon, but that's still below the national average of $3.73. The highest priced gas is in Hawaii at $4.28, and the cheapest gas is in Wyoming at $3.17.

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